NYE Essentials

Throwing a party to ring in the new year? Worrying about dropping the ball when the ball drops? Don't worry! We've put together a list of five NYE essentials, guaranteeing you and your guests a memorable end to 2011.

1. The Bubbly, of course!

Champagne is a New Year's staple, but why not put a new twist on this old favorite with a champagne cocktail!



2. Music

Music is a must for any party and guarantees to keep the night moving. Don't forget Auld Lang Syne. May auld aquanitance be forgot!



3. Finger Foods

Because many of your guests will have eaten before the evening begins, they won't be hungry for a full meal. Providing snacks throughout the night will satisfy everyone. These ball drop cupcakes are a great snack before your resolutions begin!



4. Games

We hope in your last moments of 2011, you are surrounded by your loved ones. These games from happywink.org will help you make lasting memories with them!


5. Party Poppers

After ringing in the new year with a kiss, hand out fun poppers to your guests and go out with a bang! Fireworks will do the trick, too.

Winter Wonderland Wedding

Love the blue, silver and white color schemes of these winter weddings. Getting married at Christmas time can save you a lot of money since many locations and churches are already decorated. We hope you have a Merry Christmas! We can't wait to share what's in store for 2012.

Christmas Party at Christopher's World Grille

Did you know Christopher’s is available for private events? We set up our dance floor last weekend for a Christmas party and the room was absolutely gorgeous! This would be a great location for a rehearsal dinner, company party or wedding reception. The room holds up to 200 guests and the food is amazing. Certified event specialist Tina McGlothlin can help with the details. Call her at (979) 776-2181.

Color your Christmas: Alternative palettes!

Looking for something a little different this holiday season? Though you may have already hung your decorations of red on a green Christmas tree, why not add extra jolly to your holly by mixing up your traditional tinsel and trying some different decorations? Accessorizing with different colors can bring a new, fresh feel to this frosty season!

Midnight Before Christmas, Santa's Sleigh Silver

This color scheme may seem icy, but it is perfect for freezing every moment of holiday time with your friends and family. This new take on yuletide will leave your guests in awe!

Sugar Plum, Five Golden Rings

Pour yourself a glass of red wine and cuddle up next to the warm fire with this royal color scheme. Deep purples with accents of metallic goldenrod will certainly warm up any chilly winter night!

Decorate and give thanks!

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it is time to start preparing! Even though you're focused on the menu right now, don't forget about special decorative touches to make your home even more warm and welcoming for guests. Below are several ideas we loved that are easy for anyone to recreate!

Greet family and friends with a welcoming door step. Try this unconventional pine cone wreath or assortment of pumpkin-potters to add a festive fall touch.

For the wreath, collect several pine cones from your yard (borrow some from your neighbors if you need to!), tie a thick ribbon around the ends of each cone and hang. It is that simple! The pumpkin-potters are great indoors or out. Now that Halloween is over, you will find a variety of pumpkins on sale. Have fun carving, then display!

Inside on the mantle, paint your pumpkins white and metallic or cover vases in fall-inspired tissue for a nontraditional fireplace.

At the table, these natural and rustic centerpieces will impress any guest.

Fill a glass vase with acorns or leaves from outside to create a beautiful, DIY centerpiece. Tying veggies around a candle with twine or ribbon is simple, yet stunning. (images via Pottery Barn and All*You)

Show your guests you are thankful for them by leaving everyone a small take-away at their place setting. Whether it is for decoration or not, your guests will appreciate their personalized seat!

Fun, metallic name markers and embroidered napkins are a great way to let your guests know you are thankful for them!

Romantic, Rustic Reherasal Dinner

We are so excited to start putting ideas together for an upcoming rehearsal dinner at the famous Joe T. Garcia's in Fort Worth. For our inspiration board, we wanted to create a romantic and rustic evening for the couple and their guests. To achieve this, we chose the soft and dusty colors of the desert at dusk. Complementing the color palette are arrangements of succulents and accents of brushed silver. Warmth and romance will most certainly warm-up the winter dinner!


Keep your eyes peeled for pictures from the event to see how it all turned out!

Make room for this Aggie Wedding!

It is true, Aggie girls DO love Aggie boys! This TAMU couple showed their 12th Man spirit on the big day. Shannon Knight got married on Kyle Field then had her reception in The Zone!

Shannon right before she walks onto the turf. Exciting!


"Now forming at the North end of Kyle Field"... the wedding party! What an amazing moment to share in the endzone.


The happy couple. Congrats!

This little, future Aggie played an important role for her first steps on Kyle Field. Precious!



The bridal party looked gorgeous in black with pops of white.


The Zone at Kyle Field was decorated perfectly for the occasion!


White lilies accented the maroon table runners beautifully.



Guests were even provided with an Aggie original for a snack- Freebirds!


Congratulations and good luck to these two dear ol' Texas Aggies!


Are you interested in renting out Kyle Field or the Zone Club for your reception? WHOOP! Contact the Zone Club at 979-862-5378 for more information.

Halloween Party Decorations

Happy Halloween! I just wanted to share pictures from our Halloween party. A lot of the decorations were handmade and super easy.













We used Martha Stewart's Halloween shilouttes to make the windows spooky. Shining a spotlight on the windows from inside the house make them stand out more. I also used a purple up-light to make the entry way spookier. I love this picture of my demon dog Heisman.














These bags were super easy to make. I cut the letters out of brown lunch sacks. Then, I placed another brown lunch sack inside of the first one. We put rocks inside the bags to make sure they didn't blow over. I made these three years ago and they're still in great shape!



















Guests were greeted by this spooky entry way when they first arrived. I put scary pictures of real people in some of the frames. I filled our apothecary jars with eyeballs, frogs and other scary creatures.














Jones hung out above the television. This was the main focus in the living room. I uplighted him in green to make an eerie effect.



















The fire place was lined with flickering lights. It's hard to tell, but there is a cat made of orange lights in the center.












A guest decorated these cupcakes for the party.